


Breakfast in America

by CloversDreams



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Aged up characters, Confession, Happy Bday Hiiragi, Language Barrier, M/M, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Travel, Vacation, give him all the kisses, implied sensuality, just a pair of besties in love, post hs graduation, who travel across the world before they admit it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: They boarded the plane then found their seats without issue since they checked their bags earlier. Shizusumi let the blond go ahead and take the window seat. Once buckled in, Hiiragi pulled down the window shade then sighed. Shizusumi nudged him with his shoulder and mumbled, “Hard to believe that this time tomorrow we’ll be having breakfast in America, huh? We really made it.”“Yeah,” Hiiragi yawned. He leaned his head against Shizusumi’s shoulder and mumbled, “it’s nuts.”“Go ahead and take a nap,” Shizusumi replied. It was going to be a really long flight and the blond definitely wouldn’t make it the whole trip. Shizusumi took his phone and headphones out of his pocket, queued up some music, then said, “I’ll wake you when we’re about to land.”“I won’t be out that… long…” Hiiragi sighed.Of course you will, you didn’t sleep a wink last night because you were so excited. I’ve got the million and one texts you sent me to prove it.Shizusumi smiled to himself and put his earbuds into his ears.
Relationships: Kashima Hiiragi/Yagi Shizusumi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 81





	Breakfast in America

Shizusumi heard a yawn before he felt someone slump over and lean against his shoulder. He turned to his right and saw that Hiiragi had his eyes shut. He couldn’t really blame the blond since it was ridiculously early and they were up before the sun rose this morning in order to catch a flight. Shizusumi was tired as well, but he refused to shut his eyes for even a moment. This trip was far too important. It was a celebration they’d been planning for years.

Both he and Hiiragi had finally graduated high school. Now, they were going on a trip overseas together. It had started as one of the blond’s silly ideas, one of the hundreds not actually meant to happen, but then Shizusumi realized just how much they both actually wanted to go. So, he suggested they start saving up to take that trip as a gift to themselves once they graduated. It certainly wasn’t easy to save when their hobby was so expensive, but they managed to all the same. Now they sat at the airport and waited for the plane to begin boarding so their trip could officially begin. It’d be any minute now.

There was one thing that Shizusumi had been wondering but hadn’t yet discussed with the blond. They’d simply been too busy with graduation prep and all that. Now was as good a time as any. He shrugged the shoulder where his best friend rested and muttered, “Hey, Hiiragi.” He waited until he heard a grunt in response. “How’s your English?”

Hiiragi opened one eye and peeked at him. He lifted his head and frowned as he replied, “Not as good as it could be. I studied French, remember? We did plan on going to Paris at one point before the idea changed, so I just stuck with it. You’re going to have to translate pretty much everything.”

Shizusumi shook his head and sighed, but he actually got that. They’d been really busy with the band so there wasn’t time to learn all the languages they would’ve liked. Still, the idea of being able to take this trip was so motivating that he’d put in the extra effort. Even went as far as to take classes on different languages when he should’ve been on break. It paid off since he was now fluent in the one they’d need.

He glanced at Hiiragi and the corner of his mouth twitched as he fought back a smile. He didn’t know if it was because he was tired or what, but impulse got the better of him. Shizusumi looked away from his best friend then said in English, “ _I love you.”_

“Huh?” Hiiragi asked before he yawned again.

Shizusumi shrugged and shook his head. Then he replied coolly, “Just a phrase you’ll hear me say a lot while we’re in New York.”

“What, is it a greeting?” Hiiragi asked. He raised a curious eyebrow at the dark-haired man and did his best to study his expression for the answer he sought.

“Only between the two of us,” Shizusumi replied. He tilted his head and looked back at the blond out of the corner of his eye. “It wouldn’t go over well if said to others.”

“Slang or something?” Hiiragi wondered aloud. He narrowed his eyes at his best friend and grumbled, “You gonna tell me what it means?”

“Maybe one day,” Shizusumi hummed. He tousled Hiiragi’s hair afterwards and smiled at his soft squeak. Before the blond could get another word in, they were interrupted by an announcement over the airport intercom.

“FLIGHT 1105 to JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NOW BOARDING.”

“That’s us, come on.” Shizusumi was on his feet not a moment later. They boarded then found their seats without issue since they checked their bags earlier. He let the blond go ahead and take the window seat. Once buckled in, Hiiragi pulled down the window shade then sighed. Shizusumi nudged him with his shoulder and mumbled, “Hard to believe that this time tomorrow we’ll be having breakfast in America, huh? We really made it.”

“Yeah,” Hiiragi yawned. He leaned his head against Shizusumi’s shoulder and mumbled, “it’s nuts.”

“Go ahead and take a nap,” Shizusumi replied. It was going to be a really long flight and the blond definitely wouldn’t make it the whole trip. Shizusumi took his phone and headphones out of his pocket, queued up some music, then said, “I’ll wake you when we’re about to land.” 

“I won’t be out that… long…” Hiiragi sighed.

_Of course you will, you didn’t sleep a wink last night because you were so excited. I’ve got the million and one texts you sent me to prove it._ Shizusumi smiled to himself and put his earbuds into his ears. He leaned his head back and rested his eyes as well.

It certainly was incredible to watch how Hiiragi went from being so tired that he practically slept the entire flight to unable to stand still because he was so excited. From the moment their plane landed and they were allowed to unbuckle themselves, he was a ball of energy. As precious as the sight of Hiiragi so hyper was, Shizusumi had to remind him that they needed to check into their hotel before they did anything else. Sightseeing came after. Naturally, Hiiragi complained about that.

“We’re only going to be here for five days! We have to make the trip as memorable as possible!” Hiiragi exclaimed. He balled his hands into fists and pumped them into the air to emphasize his point. “I want to see everything!”

“We will, I promise,” Shizusumi assured him. He finally got the blond to calm down just a bit when he said he’d let him pick the first restaurant they tried. That gave him something other to focus on than whining constantly.

To no one’s surprise, Hiiragi had chosen by the time they brought their bags to the hotel room. Evidently, he’d downloaded an app that alerted him about events and hotspots. He was just about to tell Shizusumi about the restaurant he’d chosen but then he got distracted by the fact that their hotel had a balcony. He scurried out onto it and took a bunch of pictures of the view. Then he took a few selfies too. Afterwards he called Shizusumi out for a couple more pictures featuring the two of them.

Once that was done and he uploaded the best ones to his social media page, the two of them went out for dinner at the Hard Rock Café. They’d been to the one in Tokyo countless times, but that didn’t make it any less wondrous. All the rock memorabilia was different from the stuff they saw back home and it was just as incredible. Shizusumi couldn’t help but find amusement in the fact that Hiiragi wanted him to take his picture standing near the things that he knew would make Ritsuka jealous. He always had to win. It was rather cute and made Shizusumi want to kiss him.

After their meal they ended up in the gift shop and of course the blond found a pair of matching keychains to get their friends. To make them jealous that they hadn’t gone on such an awesome trip, according to Hiiragi. Shizusumi simply tousled Hiiragi’s hair. He hadn’t changed a bit, and that would always make Shizusumi smile. The two of them grabbed a pair of matching t-shirts for themselves and went to the bathroom to go ahead and put them on before they finally left. ~~~~

Shizusumi and Hiiragi explored the city together and took what had to be hundreds of pictures, then Hiiragi’s new app alerted them of a pop-up concert that was about to start nearby. There was no way they’d miss an opportunity to see something like that. It didn’t even matter what bands were featured; he knew his best friend wouldn’t want to miss it. Shizusumi was dragged along as Hiiragi practically ran towards that location. He had a feeling they’d be taking even more pictures there. That didn’t exactly bother him.

To both of their pleasant surprise, the band that played the show was actually pretty amazing. It was the exact caliber of talent one would expect to find in New York City. Shizusumi and Hiiragi stuck around after the show ended and even got to meet the group. Hiiragi was all smiles as he talked shop with them as best he could, which meant Shizusumi translated the conversation. It was fine since it worked well enough. The blond was beaming and that was what counted. They made sure to get a selfie with the group before they left. More to brag about back home.

The rest of their evening was just as eventful as they stumbled upon a group of street performers that did incredible stunts while wearing light up outfits. Not long after that Hiiragi shared his hot dog with a pigeon. Well, not so much _shared_ it as he took his eye off it for a second and the bird stole it. Shizusumi couldn’t help but chuckle at that. When Hiiragi turned towards him with a pout he offered up the rest of his own hot dog with a smile.

Shizusumi nodded at the grumble of thanks as Hiiragi took the food. Then he looked up at the flashing billboards on the skyscrapers and watched them change. His mind was somewhere else entirely. It was focused on the warmth in his chest. He didn’t know what it was about traveling, but he just wanted to scream out loud about the feelings he had that bubbled right beneath the surface. Instead of doing something as crazy as that, Shizusumi simply mumbled, “ _I love you_.”

“Hm? Oh. Yeah, hello to you too, I guess.” Hiiragi replied with a mouthful of food. He glared at an approaching pigeon then shooed it away with his foot. That was a con he wouldn’t fall for again. He turned towards Shizusumi and tilted his head then asked, “Is that even the appropriate response? You still haven’t told me what it means.”

Shizusumi turned to look at him. He studied the blond in silence for a minute before he finally tousled Hiiragi’s hair and replied, “It’s fine for now.”

The next few days were full of the pair visiting all kinds of tourist attractions. They went to museums, recommended restaurants, and even saw an outdoor play. It didn’t matter what kind of event it was, if they could fit it into their schedule, they absolutely had to give it a go. No arguments. Hiiragi’s desire to brag about their amazing trip was going to fill up both their phones and suitcases by the time it was finished. Not that Shizusumi could be mad about that. When his best friend was happy, he was happy.

Quite possibly the best part about the trip thus far was the fact that he’d been able to say that “greeting” to Hiiragi whenever he felt like it. He found that it was surprisingly frequent even to him. He couldn’t help it. Everything the blond did with that darn smile on his face melted Shizusumi’s heart. His affection for him only grew. Something about being able to declare his feelings to Hiiragi whenever they were driving him crazy was freeing in a way. He couldn’t even begin to explain the countless years he’d wanted to do something like that. Though he’d always imagined he’d do so and the guy would understand him. Oh, well. This was better than nothing.

It was the evening of their second to last day of the trip and the pair decided to make it a relaxing one at the hotel. Hiiragi took an extra-long shower then didn’t even bother to put a shirt on afterwards. He messed around on his phone for a bit then wandered off. Shizusumi was watching some random sitcom while Hiiragi was out on the balcony taking pictures again. Or so he thought at first. When he glanced over at the glass door and saw that Hiiragi had a pout on his face his own brow furrowed. That wouldn’t do. Not during such a wonderful trip. He could be the grumpiest cat he wanted back home, but Shizusumi refused to let it slide during this trip.

Shizusumi rolled out of bed and meandered over to the door. Hiiragi didn’t notice his presence. He stepped out onto the balcony and shut the door behind himself, then immediately took note of the faint sound of classical music in the air as well as the scent of flowers. There was no way to pinpoint where either was coming from, but it sure gave the atmosphere a romantic feeling. He ignored it, of course, and stepped up to the railing. Both he and Hiiragi looked at all the buildings that lit up the skyline. It truly was beautiful.

“This really is the city that never sleeps, huh? It’s kind of incredible.” Hiiragi muttered mostly to himself. He stuffed his phone into his pants pocket since he was done taking pictures for now.

“Mm.” Shizusumi glanced at the blond and saw that he wasn’t pouting anymore. It was a full-on frown. Hiiragi looked like he was lost in his own thoughts. That was a rare occurrence. Usually he just blurted out what was on his mind without thinking. It only made him worry to see Hiiragi so quiet. Shizusumi’s voice was soft as he asked, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you having a good time?”

“Of course I am!” Hiiragi shrieked. He noticed a smirk upon Shizusumi’s face and immediately let out an exasperated sigh. He turned towards the city below and finally grumbled, “That phrase you’ve been using over the past few days. I want to know what it means.”

“Is it bothering you that much?” Shizusumi asked. Hiiragi’s brow knitted together and he grunted. Shizusumi shook his head and clicked his tongue. There was a teasing smile upon his face as he said, “You should’ve studied harder in school.”

“Shut up, I don’t need a lecture!” Hiiragi waved a fist at him. The snarl on his face quickly melted into a pout, then he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, it’s bothering me. I even called Mafuyu to ask.”

Shizusumi’s eyes widened. That certainly was unexpected. He glanced at the blond out of the corner of his eye and asked, “Oh? What’d he say?”

Hiiragi shook his head and groaned, “He told me that it wasn’t his place to explain. Then he hung up on me like a jerk.”

Shizusumi chuckled softly. He had to hand it to Mafuyu, he was a good friend. Even though he’d known for years about those feelings Shizusumi never spoke of, he didn’t say a word to anyone else. He should probably treat the guy to lunch or something. But that could be worked out later. For now, he had something important to do.

When Hiiragi turned to yell something in his direction Shizusumi took the chance to put his right hand on the blond’s cheek. He watched those golden eyes he adored widen when he said the phrase in question for what felt like the millionth time during this trip. Hiiragi’s words immediately got stuck in his throat and his cheeks darkened. It was such an appealing look on him.

“Your cheeks are red,” Shizusumi hummed. He could feel the warmth beneath his palm. “Did you figure it out?”

Hiiragi blinked about a hundred times. He gulped audibly then replied, “It’s just, uh, when you look at me like that and say it, I can’t help but think…”

“Yes?” Shizusumi wondered if this was finally it. Maybe all the hints over the years that he thought never got through finally hit home. This could be _the_ moment. He had to stop from holding his breath in anticipation.

“Never mind.” Hiiragi averted his gaze then shook his head. He frowned and mumbled, “I’m wrong.”

Oh, _god_. Shizusumi couldn’t take it anymore. Not here, in this incredibly romantic setting. Not now, when they had nothing but time to themselves. The ball was in his court and he decided to go for it.

“Are you a hundred percent sure?” Shizusumi whispered as he rubbed his thumb along the warm cheek in his hand. He took a step closer to his best friend and then slid his hand beneath his chin to lift it upwards. He maintained eye-contact with the blond as he said softly, “Hiiragi Kashima, _I love you_.”

Golden eyes widened then fluttered shut in anticipation. Without another word Shizusumi bent down and pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss. Ah, finally. After so many years of pining in secret, there on a hotel balcony in The City That Never Sleeps he could finally express his feelings in the way he’d always wanted. As a bonus, when Hiiragi fisted both hands in his shirt and tried to pull him closer Shizusumi knew that _he_ finally understood the meaning of that specific English phrase.

They broke the kiss and stared into one another’s eyes for more heartbeats than Shizusumi could count. Hiiragi’s brain seemed to be working overtime. He watched the blond turn and look into their hotel room. Shizusumi did the same. He blinked at the queen-sized bed then looked back at Hiiragi again to find him a blushing mess. They’d gotten a single bed since it was cheaper, and they’d grown up sharing spaces even smaller than that. Neither of them even gave it a second thought. With that single kiss just now, everything changed.

“We should go back inside or you’ll get sick,” Shizusumi said in his usual soft tone. He was glad that he didn’t sound as nervous as he was. A thousand and one thoughts ran through his head about how their friendship wouldn’t ever be the same. Maybe he wanted that. Maybe he didn’t.

“Would you take care of me if I did?” Hiiragi asked with a pout.

“Of course.” Shizusumi nodded. “Then I’d get sick afterwards and you’d call me an idiot but I wouldn’t care because you felt better and that would be all that mattered.” That was exactly how it happened countless times over the years. He didn’t regret a single one.

Hiiragi let out an amused huff. He glanced at Shizusumi then his little smile melted back into a frown. It seemed like there was something he just couldn’t bring himself to say.

Shizusumi rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, “Listen, if this is about you not wanting to share a bed anymore, I can probably ask for a cot or different room for the night or something. I’ll figure it out so don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t do that!” Hiiragi shrieked. His cheeks darkened to an impossible shade of red as he turned back towards Shizusumi and admitted, “I _do_ want… what I mean is, uh–” Hiiragi put his hand over his eyes and mumbled, “I have no idea how to say this while shirtless without coming across as a pervert or something.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?” Shizusumi could laugh it was so ridiculous. He pulled off his own shirt then posed. “There. We’re even.”

Hiiragi’s fingers parted just enough for him to peek through. His one visible eye widened at the sight of Shizusumi’s bare torso.

“Talk to me.” The worst possible outcome of this would be Hiiragi closing himself off or distancing himself. Shizusumi wouldn’t be able to take it.

“I can’t…” Hiiragi mumbled. The tips of his ears burned as he let his hand fall away from his face then took Shizusumi’s hand without looking at him. “But I can show you.”

Shizusumi didn’t say a word as he let himself be lead back into the room. Hiiragi sat down on the bed then scooted over so he had space as well. The way his blush had spread even to his shoulders now was so darn cute Shizusumi wasn’t sure he could take much more of it. But he would. He’d deal with anything he had to for the sake of their lifelong friendship. He sat down in the free spot and did his best not to stare at the way that Hiiragi chewed on his bottom lip.

Hiiragi bowed his head so that his bangs fell forward and hid his face then mumbled, “You know I’m me, right?”

“I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean,” Shizusumi replied.

“I’m just… me.” Hiiragi replied through gritted teeth. He clenched his hands into fists and muttered, “Loud, selfish, demanding…”

“Fun, outgoing, adventurous, the most caring person I’ve ever met.” Shizusumi continued the thought for him.

Hiiragi looked up at him with tears in his eyes. His bottom lip quivered with his unspoken feelings upon it. He could only stare at his best friend as he continued to talk.

“The most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” Shizusumi put his hand on Hiiragi’s cheek then nodded. He wiped away the tear that attempted to slide down his face and added, “Yeah, I know you’re you, and I love you.”

Hiiragi shook his head and sighed, “What’s going to happen when you realize that you’re way too good for me?”

“That’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said,” Shizusumi snorted. He took Hiiragi’s hand and brought it to his lips then kissed his knuckles. “I love this part of you.” He pulled the arm closer then placed a kiss upon Hiiragi’s elbow. “And this part of you.” Shizusumi placed a final kiss upon the blond’s shoulder. “And this part, too.”

Hiiragi motioned to his own lips with his free hand and asked, “What about this part of me?”

Shizusumi kissed him without a moment’s hesitation. He smiled as he hummed, “I especially love this part of you.”

Hiiragi surged forward to slot their lips together once again. He wrapped his arms around Shizusumi and pulled him down onto the bed. He ended up on his back and didn’t care in the slightest. All he could think about were the lips moving against his own. They continued to kiss like it was the last thing they’d ever do. Neither of them could hold back the desire that they’d released.

Shizusumi’s hand landed upon Hiiragi’s waist and the blond let out a surprised squeak. Shizusumi chuckled into the kiss. Every sound he made was the cutest thing ever. He looked forward to hearing them all. He broke the kiss and stared deep into Hiiragi’s half-lidded eyes. They both smiled at one another as blush darkened their cheeks. In that moment they just _knew_ that this truly would be a trip neither of them would ever forget.  
  


*

  
Shizusumi took quick, shallow breaths as he attempted to calm his racing pulse. It didn’t help at all. He used what little energy he had left to lift his arm so he could pet Hiiragi’s hair. It was still a bit damp but he didn’t mind. He could hear the blond’s haggard breathing as he attempted to catch his breath as well. Shizusumi simply smiled at that. It was a dream come true to have Hiiragi lying on his bare chest after intimacy like this. He wanted to savor every second.

“How long…?” Hiiragi asked between soft pants.

“Mm?” Shizusumi hummed.

“How long have you felt this way about me?” Hiiragi clarified. He bounced with the force of his best friend’s laugh.

Shizusumi twisted blond strands of hair around his fingers and replied, “If I told you that you’d probably laugh at me.”

“Yeah, probably,” Hiiragi snickered. He felt Shizusumi kiss the top of his head afterwards. Then he turned his head and nuzzled the warm chest beneath him. “You really should’ve told me.”

“You weren’t ready to hear it,” Shizusumi disagreed. “But I’ll make sure to tell you every chance I get from now on. You’ll be sick of hearing it soon.”

Hiiragi lifted his head so he could look him in the eyes as he replied, “Not possible.”

Shizusumi hummed then kissed him sweetly. “I love you, Hiiragi.”

Hiiragi’s cheeks were the loveliest shade of crimson as he muttered, “I love you, too.”

Shizusumi smiled then put his hand on the back of the blond’s head and gently pushed so he was lying down again. “Get some rest. Tomorrow we only have time for breakfast then a really long flight back home.”

“Extra bacon.” Hiiragi yawned.

“You got it.”

Shizusumi was exhausted by the time they finally arrived back in Japan. Though the trip had gone better than he could’ve ever dreamed, traveling was the worst. How Hiiragi was energetic enough to want to get something to eat, he had no idea. They barely had enough time to drop their luggage off at the blond’s place before he was dragged right back out again. Though he had to admit it was adorable. Ever since they’d officially become an item Hiiragi was somehow even cuter than he used to be. Shizusumi had no idea that was even possible, but it warmed his heart.

By some strange turn of fate, or perhaps a terrible coincidence, they ended up at the same café where Mafuyu and his bandmates happened to be having a meal. The kindhearted bassist, Haruki, invited the two of them to join. Almost as soon as they sat down at the table Hiiragi got into an argument with Ritsuka over… well, Shizusumi didn’t know what it was about this time. He was too distracted by the fact that he was holding his boyfriend’s hand under the table. They might be home now, but it felt like so much had changed in just a few short days. He was living a dream he thought would never be reality.

“Oh, hey!” Haruki exclaimed with a crooked smile. He waved his hand to get their attentions and distract the arguing pair. “Mafuyu tells us that you two recently spent almost an entire week in America. That’s amazing! Did you do anything exciting?”

Hiiragi stiffened, his cheeks immediately turned pink, and he squeezed Shizusumi’s hand. He quickly shook his head. “Nope! Nothing at all! What are you even implying!”

“Sounds like it was a waste of a trip, then…” Mafuyu replied flatly.

Everyone at the table had exasperated looks upon their faces when the blond turned towards Mafuyu and started yelling that he was an idiot. Of course that got Ritsuka to argue on Mafuyu’s behalf. Just like that the pair were back at each other’s throats. It was inevitable when they were within a certain proximity. Haruki attempted to mediate, but it was virtually impossible to corral the pair once they got started. Shizusumi knew they’d tire themselves out eventually.

All eyes were on Akihiko when he tapped on his glass then held it up and declared, “Ding ding, hear that? Everyone shut up and kiss your boyfriend!”

Akihiko, Mafuyu, and Shizusumi did just that. There was a simultaneous shriek from the others that made them all laugh afterwards. Then everyone who got kissed was too busy blushing to argue, so they all got to eat in peace for a bit. It had been an ingenious plan, really; Shizusumi would have to remember that, as he planned to use that tactic quite often in the future. He held back a smile as he wondered what other trips he and his boyfriend could take together. Traveling sure was exhausting, but he’d go absolutely anywhere in the world as long as he could keep holding Hiiragi’s hand.

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be an extra piece for the upcoming Given zine [givenseasonszine] but I changed my mind last min and wanted to expand the idea past their word count… that’s ok I wrote two other exclusives for that project! ^^ <3
> 
> I still think about this ship a looooot. Manga focus shifted away from them again and im sad. I just want them to have their moment. plssss. Let them be grossly affectionate I neeeeeed it
> 
> Shizu finally being able to express his feelings for Hiiragi whenever he wants makes me emotional ok
> 
> They’ve been in love for so lonnnnng. Theres a lot of cuddling to catch up on
> 
> also when hiiragi got back everyone got him a cake with his face on it and he hated it so much. it certainly didnt help that shizu tried a slice then told him he tasted good, which made him short circuit :3


End file.
